Littleborough Rugby Union U16s boys tour Holland

Littleborough Rugby Union U16's boys Holland tour

Littleborough Rugby Union U16s toured Holland in two rugby tournaments against teams from across Europe over Easter.

On Good Friday evening, the players, alongside their coaches Richard Wilson, Jonathan Land and Jack Whittles, took the overnight ferry from Hull to Rotterdam. Tthey visited a local club, Hoek Van Holland, the following day on the outskirts of Rotterdam.

Playing matches against the host club in a number of miniatures saw the day start well with Littleborough losing by just one unconverted score in a fierce hard fought game. Fly half George Roberts stood out with a personal tally of seven points.

As the games were just 12 minutes long, the Boro lads needed to be switched on from the start but were unable to fire on all cylinders after the long journey the night before had taken it's toll maybe slowing them down a little and saw the side pick up a solitary win from seven games in what was a long day.

Littleborough were always valiant in defeat, tenaciously never giving up until the very last seconds and showed some of their class at times.

With Saturday night free, it gave the players an opportunity to recuperate and enjoy some down time with one another in what is for some of them, there final year at jJunior level.

Sundays' performance in the Hilversum Rugby Tournament, one of Europe’s largest rugby meetings with teams from far and wide, was much the like of what we have witnessed this past season and gave some big junior rugby clubs a mighty scare.

A tournament which takes place every year south east of Amsterdam at the Hilversum Rugby Club was planned around four 20 minute qualifying games followed by semi-final then final.

Twenty minute matches were better suited to Littleborough, allowing the team to use good power play from the forwards giving the backs the opportunities to strike at pace cutting through the opposition defence.

Boro just missed out on a place in the semi-final, nevertheless the players gave a good account of themselves securing two wins from the four qualifying matches and made one of their biggest statements yet that they will be talented rugby players when they make the transition to senior rugby in the next couple of years.